1. Field of the Invention
This is a gas cleaning process and includes a flash column apparatus for water reclamation. More specifically, this process pertains to cooling and scrubbing the raw gas stream from a partial oxidation gas generator with reclaimed water and recovering, purifying, and recycling the water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Synthesis gas mixtures comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and containing entrained particulate carbon may be prepared by the partial oxidation of a fossil fuel with a free-oxygen containing gas, optionally in the presence of a temperature moderator. The hot effluent gas stream from the gas generator may be cooled by direct immersion in water in a quench drum such as described in coassigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,896,927 and 3,929,429. A portion of the entrained solids are removed by the quench water. Following the direct quench cooling, the gas is scrubbed with water to further remove particulates. Alternatively, the hot effluent gas stream may be cooled in a gas cooler such as shown in coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,717 and then scrubbed with water. The quench-water or the scrubbing water may be then processed in the manner described in coassigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,992,906, 3,097,081, and 4,014,786.